The number and types of electronic devices available to consumers have increased tremendously the past few years, and this increase shows no signs of abating. Devices such as portable computing devices, tablet, desktop, and all-in-one computers, cell, smart, and media phones, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors and other devices have become ubiquitous.
These devices often receive and provide power and data using various cable assemblies. These cable assemblies may include connector inserts, or plugs, on one or more ends of a cable. The connector inserts may plug into connector receptacles on electronic devices, thereby forming one or more conductive paths for signals and power.
The connector receptacles may be formed of housings that typically at least partially surround and provide mechanical support for contacts. These contacts may be arranged to mate with corresponding contacts on the connector inserts to form portions of electrical paths between devices. These connector receptacles may be attached or otherwise fixed to device enclosures that surround an electronic device. These enclosures may be highly stylized for both aesthetic and functional reasons. For example, portions of the device enclosures may be sloped, curved, or have other non-orthogonal shapes. These enclosures may also be thin or narrow.
The curvature or size of these enclosures may make it difficult to fit a connector receptacle to the enclosure. Moreover, a resulting connector receptacle may be difficult to assemble. It may also be difficult to achieve high speeds with such connector receptacles.
The connector inserts may include contacts to mate with corresponding contacts on the connector receptacles. It may also be difficult to achieve high speeds with connector inserts.
Thus, what is needed are connector receptacles that may have a desired form factor to fit in a stylized device enclosure. It may also be desirable that these connector receptacles and corresponding connector inserts are also capable of high-speed performance. It may also be desirable to have circuitry associated with the connector inserts and connector receptacles that support these high speeds.